An Early Start

So to make up for yesterday's slow start and sleep in- I got up extra early today. BRRR. It was in the low 50's and this house was CHILLY. But made a great walking morning. Anyhow, got up early to see if CHF had any last minute put ups on their web site, as last week's letter said they would, and they did, so I got a couple of items I wanted but didn't want to pay full price for. Few things I wished for weren't up...but they are only rubber stamps and they'll be something else...from someone else, some other time.  After all, they are just rubber stamps. Its not like I haven't bought anything I wanted from them.

So today I show you some cards I've made recently. The bottom card is for Katie is take to a wedding shower she's going to tonight for her boyfriend's older sister. Then there's a cute birthday card and just a hello card.  Almost all the stamps are from CHF, and most are Kim Hughes stamps, which have been my recent favorites because they're so great to color with those Copic markers I've been buying.

So yesterday I was a GOOD doobie and stayed home and bleached down the walls of my screen porch to get some of the dark mildewy looking spots off the wood-it looks SOOOOOO good right now. I also put away the tent from the camping trip 2 1/2 weeks ago and I ran the self cleaning cycle on my oven.  Am trying to get a few things done for the BIG graduation party coming up 2 weeks from tomorrow- so I'm not in a mad fool mode the last few days before the party getting the house squared away. Of course, Dave needs to start the diningroom/kitchen floor-our linoleum is SOOO ripped and torn and this is the perfect excuse to have him get it DONE!

Today we need to bring the boat down to Salisbury, MA to get the engine checked...it started overheating last weekend, so I'm riding down with Dave. Then he's going to buy the flooring;YAHOO! Its just going to be some of that laminate pop together flooring- not my top choice board width 9I want it wide) but this is more affordable with college tuition bills right now and it will look 100% BETTER than what's there now. Can't wait!

A Late Start

Its a gorgeous day!!! Cooler, and sleeping was so excellent that I slept in until almost 9 today. Of course I woke up early when Dave was getting ready for work and started reading my latest book.

I will admit this book has caught me right off (no 50 pages to get through before you get into the book), and I'm only reading it as its the book club book, whenever we are meeting, I want to have read it.I've only heard good things about this book. So my goal is  to get through it this weekend. Finished the Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest yesterday evening (it was a stop everything to finish the book) and it didn't disappoint.

Anyhow, then Harley I went walking this morning-its great to walk later when all the work traffic is gone but usually its so warm you can't walk so late, but today- just perfect!

So I made this card the other day with the new Impression Obsession stamp I bought. I love this stamp.

And then I made this card too.

So today, should I hang low or go out and enjoy the beautiful day? Deciding whether to go buy a skein of yarn to make a scarf or hang out. Hmmm. Tough decisions.

I am NOT

Yes, a list. I love a good list. Saw this on Collage Contessa's blog
  (http://www.collagecontessa.blogspot.com/)
 while I was purusing blogs and knew I had to list 10 things I am not.
1- Tall- I am only 60 3/4 inches or just a tad over 5 feet tall (not even 5 feet 1).
2- As laid back as I sometimes come off. I have learned how to control the type 1 side of my personality, and even my nerves, and I don't like to show my weaknesses. I can be a BIG chicken if my nerves get to me.
3-A good singer. I have NO voice for song.
4-A night owl usually. But if I get passed my sleepy hour...its another story. And when I don't need to get up early like during the school year I can stay up for a bit, but its rare I see the 1 or 2 a.m. hours.
5-An athlete. But I can dance pretty good but forget my sports skills.
6-A coffee drinker. But I love coffee flavored ice cream and milk. Go figure?
7-Someone with neat handwriting. Not me.
8- A great speller. Thank goodness for computers and spell check.
9-Stagnant (yes, I took Collage Contessa's word here)- I love to learn new things, try new things, experiment, go places, have adventure (not I'm not as laid back as I come off so some thing scare me- especially if they're athletic, try new foods, see new things...
10- Good at math. I'm the only science person on the planet  sometimes think that isn't better at math than English. Give me words any day.

Thursday Art

This weeking is FLYING!!! It was just Monday. It was actually just July 4th and now look at it. Almost August. I want the summer to slow down since I have slowed down. Feels like time is flying by me and I am hanging onto a cord just to keep in place.

But slowing down is GREAT!

Yesterday morning I made some cards before Katie and I went to lunch and then down to Somersworth, NH to run some errands- mainly for her to find a dress for a wedding she is attending in a few weeks. Most of the stamps on this card are from Art Impressions-I've had this set a few years and keep going back to it since its so much FUN! The clouds and words are from a CHF Kim Hughes set. That's my mood lately, chilling and being slow in the sun.

Then when I've spent my day relaxing, I want to sit and watch the waves at night. This is a new stamp for me, from Impression Obession-LOVE this stamp. Made this card yesterday too. I also was bad and ordered a few more CHF stamps yesterday- last pickings, but a few things I liked but weren't super high on the list of their stamps...got the Kim Hughes travel set-like some of the stamps there and thought it would be worth getting along with the Saturday Evening Post Polar Bears which is another one I like. Probably shouldn't spent the little extra cash at this point...but the devil made me do it.

Happy Thursday all-time for me to go spent an hour or 2 in the studio.

Yesterday's ROADTRIP!

So does this photo give you any hints? I am of Swedish descent, but I live in a very unScandinavian area of the country. This is New England/New Hampshire-Red Sox Nation, land of die hard stoic laconic Yankees.

Maybe the meal is a give away...mine is on the right and Katie's is on the left-

But do you recognize this house? In the out building in the back is the Nation's first Presidential Library.

 

OK, the meal and the flags might give away IKEA. Katie and I took a trip down to the nearest store to us which is south of Boston. We needed to get her a few last items for her college dorm room this fall. And we had lunch there first too, as you can see by the food.

And every time we've gone to IKEA we pass a sign for the Adam's Homestead National Historic Site, and geeky me, I've always wanted to go. Good reason to stop too as our National Park Pass from last summer is about to expire. This house is the adult home of 2 presidents- the second US president-John Adams and his son-maybe the 6th president-John Quincy Adams (who read 13 languages and spoke fluently like 6 or 8 languages. They say the smartest most intellectual president we've ever had. ) And since this house was in the Adams family   until it became a park, it contains some priceless original portraits of various founding fathers and dishes and furniture that these men took to the White House (since at that time you brought your own furniture and then took it with you when you left). John Adams -our second president -was the first to move into the white house during the last of his 4 year term.

The gardens at the house were quite pretty, not huge and ornate, but very New England.

Part one of the tour (they trolley you around) is where the first Adam's president was born, a 1600's saltbox house in a different part of town -originally called Braintree and but now I believe in Qunicy, MA.

Katie on the big house porch.

Quincy is all about John and Abigail Adams. Here's a sign off the back of the church where they are buried.

And the sign at the big family home shown way up top.

We had a fun day out, I learned a lot- and can check it off my list-I have read David's McCoulough's book John Adams and I recommend it if you have any interest.

Crisp and cool

I think my card yesterday ushered in some fallish weather- beautiful, but I've even needed to close down a few windows as its really chilly...a good working day not a beach day. That's ok, my house is desperate for a vaccing and think I'll be low key today...try to read a big chunk of the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest which I've been reading with a million interuptions-including 2 other books. Really want to finish it and see what happens, but want to do a bunch of scrapping...relax. Tomorrow Katie and I are planning a ROADTRIP, oh I love them. Will fill you in later. What I can't get over is the fact this is the LAST week of July...think I said that yesterday but I'm still in shock its here already. Not surprised in another way though...summer flies.
So above this babbling there's a couple of recently made cards...you can tell I've when I make been in a cooking mode this summer, thinking about more preserving...which is truly a satisfying task, I will admit.
Also, here's a few pieces of jewelry I posted on Etsy this morning- I fired these yesterday and made them one day last week...

You can find details about these pendants on my Etsy shop.

Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlehippymom

Wrong Season

And I'm not rushing it, with the thoughts of winter to follow. I'm not much of a winter person, I admit. But I do love autumn, even though it means going back to work full time...I love my job but love staying home better...because I get studio time...anyhow, these are from some of my new Kim Hughes stamps...and some Basic Grey paper. And lovin these copic markers which I should have staretd buying a lot sooner thaan I did. I've done a bunch of scrapping lately so I need to photgraph those to share with you too, working on our California Trip from last summer...think I could scrap 24/7 and still never catch up.
But today is a much cooler feeling than yesterday and my legs look like a lobster but the rest of me I kept sunscreened is normal skin colored. Today, not sure what's on the agenda but am DEFINATELY planning on some studio time! Got a lot of stamps cut out last night I need to play with.

Another boating Saturday

It ended up being a great day and we made the right choice going boating today. My friend Dee and her husband Mike joined us, and we had a lot of fun. Though after being out for 6 hours I have some burn where I missed with the sunscreen and Dave's motor is having some over heating problems and needs to be checked, boo hoo there.

Love this photo I took today of this sailboat and the people on the jetty.

Some of the fleet in harbor in Portsmouth.

Small moored boat.

Love this scene of Portsmouth too.

Neat little barn/ out building on the water.

Another view of the jetty, though not quite as cool as the first photo.

So last night I had a great dinner out with my girlfriends...been a great weekend so far. Think tomorrow I am so GAME for a down day...studio time, and time to cut out and play with the last of stamp orders from Cornish Heritage Farms...good thing they're getting all picked over...it too easy to justify buying a bunch more with the company going out of business in a couple of weeks. That's too bad too.

Assorted Summer Catch-up Photo Friday

Assorted photos of summer moments I haven't shared yet. Above, cool view of the lawn sprinkler going on evening.

Below, sun through the trees one morning on a walk and Harley enjoying his walk.

Painted on the road in Portsmouth near the run off storm drain. Good idea.

A couple of snaps from a trip to a Christmas shop awhile back in Spencer, MA.

Yummy diner waffles for a late breakfast.

And the view from our table of the dessert frig at this diner in Worcester, MA.

Finally, my painted little cabinet which I finished a couple of weeks ago. So yesterday was a nice trip to Mom's, today I am hanging low and going out to dinner with a couple of girlfriends. Just a mellow Friday as another week winds down.

Cooking up some lovin'

This week I've been kitchen domestic (though my house is a MESS-who cares?). It started with these very very YUMMY ginger cookies (the best, I swear- not because I made them either). The recipe is in the Black Dog Summer cookbook and my sister-in-law made them this weekend for a cookout and when I tried them-oh baby!

Then yesterday I dragged Katie and her boyfriend Brian raspberry picking before the big thunderstorms rolled in. Actually, I dragged Katie, Brian wanted to go.

Here they are up at Ridge Runners Farm. It was so relaxing to pick berries, and since it was cloudy, it wasn't hot either.  But anyhow, I babble on about useless details. So then in the evening right before the big storms I made some jam- TONS of jam

Don't they look YUMMY?

Raspberry jam is soooo easy- just mash the berries (I used 5 quarts) with a potato masher, add sugar (5 cups for mine) and then add some pectin (1 box powdered). Then boil and can.

Here's my final results-though I only wanted to make 4 or 5 pints I ended up with 10...but better that than not enough. Been wanting to make jam for quite awhile...I like being old fashioned and its that nuturing farming instinct I guess...get away from the rush and tumble of modern life.

And today, I am off to visit my mother in Massachusetts- who has never made jam by the way. So much for escaping modern life.

Beautiful Morning

Like the song says "Its a Beautiful Morning"! or the other song "Oh what a beautiful Morning, Oh what a beautiful Day". You pick- its not too hot right now, got a great walk in...am going to take Katie breakfast up to the lake and may go pick some raspberries to make jam...or then again, maybe not. Love that there's a choice like that. Although yesterday I had my first how fast the summer is going reality check when I  realized there's only 1 more week of July. Not that its a big deal since I still how most of August off, but August flies more than July, and July flies...you get the picture.
And today's card, not that I am feeling blue but how can those silly jellyfish and that happy dolphin not make you smile at least a little bit? Have really been enjoying playing with my Kim Hughes stamps from CHF, in they're closing down I seem to have bought several...its the fact that I finally got into Copic Markers in the past few months, what was I thinking...they are fantastic markers. Opens up a whole door and the colors and shades...well, you get that picture too I'm sure.And these Kim Hughes stamps really let you color in the objects.
 Tomorrow I am planning on going to visit my mom, and today, well its pretty open which is what I need right now. I could use days open, but that doesn't happen and lets face it, after awhile I'd be bored.
So enjoy your beautiful day, because its that even if its not so beautiful weather-wise- finally REALLY got the gist of that saying that every day is a gift, not that I didn't get it but when you realize the whole impact of such a statement way down deep in your soul, it does change life. And not too sound like too much of a sugar coated smoozer, there are days that don't feel like gifts, I know. Wait until the end of August and I have to get back into my routine, that's really the problem with going back to school and me- I don't mind working but I love not having to work on such a routine schedule. Ok, I'm babbling.

Low key Tuesday

And I LOVE It! Both the lowkey Tuesday and the cards I made above.

So this morning I made some more silver jewelry...when it dries later on this week I can do a big old firing. I'm playing with using gemstones and I LOVE what I made this morning. Much more depth than just the flat press pendants I've done.

Also am taking a break from the Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest- though I am loving that book- saw the movie of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo the other night and it was pretty disturbing seeing some of those scenes on film (veresus when you read them and can block them out if you want to). I've wanted to read this other book for awhile, and I wanted something a little lighter...so far, its fun. Interesting way its written in all letters, though I've read something else written like that at some point before.

Kind of like the quiet this morning with Katie at work...love that there's no TV on which she will do...but she'll be home soon and I'm going to chill this afternoon...its just a low key Tuesday as I said.

Its Monday

Although  this card could be a lot straighter in the photo, this is how I feel about Mondays when I'm not having to get up and go to work, when I can decide whether to sleep in or get up and go for a walk, when I can take a nap on my screen porch, when I can go out to lunch with Katie, or when I can do absolutely nothing or make some silver jewelry...

Sunday and art

Here's some cards I made the other afternoon when I got home from camping. The scenery design stamps are from the almost gone Cornish Heritage Farms, as they are closing there doors. I ordered these and several others I wanted...its been fun getting the stamps but probably not so great for my wallet. The words and the cattails, clock and dots are other various stamps I already had. I'm very pleased with how these cards came out.

The air is so much clearer today...off goes the Ac on the windows are open...its still warm but this breeze-got to love it!